A TIVA Valentine
by quintawrites
Summary: Valentine’s Day takes an unlikely turn for Tony and Ziva when they both find themselves without a date at the last minute. Will this be the nudge to bring these two friends and agents together as lovers? Lots of TIVA fluff in this one shot for this heart-filled holiday.


Hi Friends,

Here's a little Valentine treat from me to you. I'll be updating my other stories soon. Grad school and work has me pretty busy but I'm not giving up My writing! Please leave a comment. Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

**A TIVA Valentine**

Tony hung up his phone and sighed. He glanced around the empty squad room before allowing himself a moment of defeat mixed with loneliness.

Jessica had just called and cancelled their plans for that evening – dinner and a movie at Tony's apartment. It was Valentine's Day. Tony wouldn't let on, but he had been looking forward to spending the evening with the girl he had been chasing for a date for six months.

He was thrilled when she finally agreed to go out with him. Their relationship was still in the "getting to know you" phase but now – thanks to Jessica's apparently seriously sick poodle, Charlotte – they would never work their way through this stage and onto the next.

Tony shook his head and got up to go to the bathroom before leaving work. He passed Ziva as she headed back to her desk from the elevator.

Tony knew Ziva had a hot date with a guy from her gym that evening. He bit back a sigh as they passed each other. All he needed was for Ziva to find out he was jilted on this Hallmark holiday to really round out his crappy day.

Luckily, Ziva seemed preoccupied and didn't give Tony so much as a glance as she headed for her desk.

Ziva looked around once she was seated to make sure Tony wasn't still in the bullpen. Having done a cursory check and finding herself alone, Ziva looked down at her cell and reread the message from her suitor for the evening.

Hey Ziva! Something came up for tonight. My great aunt is in town and I have to spend the evening with family. See you around the gym.

Ziva felt her blood pressure rise and her desire to use her ninja skills as she looked at the message. Here she was, dumped on Valentines Day no less – for her date's 92-year-old aunt who crocheted tissue cozies and temperature blankets!

And all the while DiNozzo had a sizzling date planned with that blond yoga instructor he'd been chasing for months. Ziva let herself sigh before closing her messages. She wasn't particularly that excited about celebrating Valentine's Day but the thought of spending it alone now was downright depressing.

Ziva was contemplating how she could avoid sitting on her couch with a microwave meal for one when Tony strolled back into the bullpen.

"What's up, Zee-vah?" Tony asked as he settled back into his chair. "Shouldn't you have left by now? Don't want to keep your man waiting on a Friday night."

Ziva bristled at Tony's reminder of what she should have been doing that evening but forced a smile on her face as she turned toward him.

"I could ask you the same thing, Tony," Ziva said, noticing that Tony's usual jubilant mood before a date was missing. "I will leave soon. There is no rush."

With those words Tony noticed Ziva looked a bit down herself. Was she having second thoughts about this guy, Tony wondered. He felt a streak of fierce protectiveness and a stab of jealousy that he wouldn't be the one across the dinner table from Ziva this evening.

"True," Tony said, a little too quickly. "No rush on my side either."

The two agents looked at each other and neither looked away for a nearly a minute. They communicated so much simply in their look and body language toward each other. They both knew the other's plans had changed for the heart-filled holiday without one word passing between them.

Against her nature, Ziva stood up and made her way to Tony's desk. She didn't want to pretend anymore, at least not right now. It was so tiring and she wanted so much more from the man who was her partner, best friend and perhaps now lover.

Tony kept his eyes on the beautiful Israeli as she came closer. Her dark, curly hair offset by her olive skin tone made her the most beautiful woman he'd ever met. Tony loved that Ziva challenged him, when he wasn't annoyed by it.

Yes, this was the woman he wanted across from him at dinner on Valentine's Day. This was the woman who understood him – and he understood her – like no other could or would. Tony reflexively flashed Ziva the megawatt smile reserved just for her as she stood in front of him.

"Tony, your date cancelled, yes? Mine did too. Let's not waste the night. Let's spend it together."

Tony almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was too good to be true. He stared at Ziva for a long moment.

Unfortunately, Ziva interpreted his silence as rejection.

"Never mind," she said, turning away from Tony. "I am leaving."

That snapped Tony out of his trance. He leaped from his seat and went around to face her.

"No, Ziva, no," he scrambled. "I want to spend the evening with you. I was just shocked. I want this. Really."

Ziva peered up into Tony's eyes, squinting a little to make sure he was telling the truth. Satisfied, she smiled and extended her hand.

"Let's rock, then!"

Tony rolled his eyes in affection as he grabbed her hand.

"It's roll, Ziva. Let's roll, not rock."

Ziva didn't bother answering. She instead took the lead and they headed to the elevator. She wasn't sure she was making the right move in her head, but her heart was all in.

Tony followed Ziva into the elevator and pushed the button for the garage. He was still a little shocked on how the night was turning out. The only thing he could think was how happy he was that he'd been stood up on Valentines. The blonde bombshell was no competition for his crazy ninja chick.

Ziva was lost in her own thoughts as she stood next to Tony. She found herself saying a silent prayer of gratitude for the untimely visit of an elderly aunt.

Tony reached out and took Ziva's hand. It fit so perfectly in his. She held his grip. The elevator opened and the couple stepped out into new territory – together.


End file.
